1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a strap retainer, such as is used to secure a child seatbelt to a shopping cart and for other similar applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, it is well-known to secure a nylon seatbelt-type child restraint apparatus to grocery cart of similar vehicle to assure the safety of children riding in the shopping cart. It is imperative that such devices are securely attached to the shopping cart without the reasonable possibility of becoming accidentally disattached. An example of a seatbelt or safety strap for such an application is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,726 entitled "Child Restraint Strap for a Shopping Cart Seat", issued on Nov. 23, 1993 to Wood.
However, the attachment of the seatbelt to the carriage is critical in several respects. The nylon web of the belt cannot rub against metallic parts, such as the carriage or the attachment devices, as this may lead to tearing and failure of the nylon web. This concern makes such attachment devices as metallic rings (e.g. keyring-type structures) and grommets undesirable. Additionally, the attachment devices must be simple and foolproof to install, preferably with no tools required on-site. The attachment devices must have no credible possibility of accidental disengagement. The attachment devices should have no exposed locking components which could be tampered with to the detriment of the attachment. Similarly, any exposed locking components frequently provide crevices into which food, dirt, and similar material can accumulate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,118 entitled "Strap Retainer" and issued on Sep. 23, 1997 to Frano, Giampavolo and Sipp has provided a device which has been quite satisfactory in many respects, but improvement is desired.